Grade Crossings

A grade crossing is an intersection where a road or path crosses railway tracks at the same level. Grade crossings are also known as level crossings, railway crossings or train crossings.

Railway companies and road authorities (provinces, municipalities, band councils) and private owners are each responsible for managing railway crossing safety in Canada.

Transport Canada developed new Grade Crossings Regulations (GCR) under the Railway Safety Act to improve safety by establishing comprehensive and enforceable safety standards for grade crossings, clarifying the roles and responsibilities of railway companies and road authorities and ensuring that they share key safety information.

Blocked Crossings

A crossing is blocked when a train prevents drivers and pedestrians from passing at a public grade crossing.

The Grade Crossings Regulations state that railway companies cannot conduct regular railway operations or leave railway equipment blocking a public grade crossing for more than five minutes when drivers and pedestrians are waiting to cross, unless the railway equipment is continually moving in one direction. When emergency vehicles need to pass through, railway companies must take all measures to immediately clear the crossing.

Grade Crossings Inventory

As part of the Government of Canada's efforts to increase transparency and openness, Transport Canada made public a list of grade crossings on the Government of Canada's Open Data Portal. This list was generated by Transport Canada and provides an inventory of the location and characteristics of the railway crossings in Canada.

The current list represents a snapshot as of April 28, 2016. Transport Canada has committed to update this list on an annual basis.

Complaint and Dispute Resolution

Who can help when complaints or issues become disputes that railway companies and road authorities cannot resolve?

If the complaint or dispute is about grade crossing safety, contact Transport Canada. Learn more at www.tc.gc.ca/railsafety.

If a railway company and a road authority disagree on who should pay for railway work at a crossing, either party can ask the Canadian Transportation Agency to apportion the costs of the project. Learn more at www.otc-cta.gc.ca, click on Industry Guidance or the Complaints and Disputes tabs.

The Agency is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal that makes decisions on a wide range of matters involving federally-regulated modes of transportation (air, rail and marine), and has the powers, rights and privileges of a superior court to exercise its authority.

The Agency resolves disputes on rail crossings (including the apportionment of costs) between federal railways and other parties who may interact with those railways. Such parties include municipalities, road authorities, utility companies, private landowners and nearby residents.

The Canadian Transportation Agency's mission is to administer transportation legislation and Government of Canada policies to help achieve an efficient and accessible transportation system by education, consultation and essential regulation.